United: Saha desperate for final role

LOUIS Saha is desperate to make it fourth time lucky in Sunday's Carling Cup final. On three occasions the Frenchman has been part of a team which has progressed to major domestic finals and each time he has missed the game.

LOUIS Saha is desperate to make it fourth time lucky in Sunday's Carling Cup final.

On three occasions the Frenchman has been part of a team which has progressed to major domestic finals and each time he has missed the game.

While on loan at Newcastle from Metz - coincidentally against Manchester United - in 1999, Saha did not make the bench at Wembley for the FA Cup final, despite coming on as a substitute seven days earlier in the Magpies' Premiership win over Blackburn.

Five years later, the Frenchman was cup-tied for United's FA Cup triumph over Millwall, having previously played for Fulham in the competition before his é12.8million switch to the Red Devils.

Then last season, Saha's misery continued when injury ruled him out of the Red Devils' penalty shoot-out defeat by Arsenal.

Now, the 27-year-old striker is hoping he did enough during his appearance as a second-half substitute in Saturday's FA Cup defeat by Liverpool to convince Sir Alex Ferguson he is worthy of a starting spot against Wigan at the Millennium Stadium.

Frustrating

"I have missed three finals for various reasons, so I am desperate to play in one," he said.

"I thought it would be easy coming to United and winning medals. You might not play well but you'd get a medal anyway. But it hasn't happened.

"It has been a very frustrating time but this is something to savour."

Saha has only just emerged from two years of almost constant injury after a serious of problems affecting his knee, hamstring and Achilles, prevented him building on an excellent start to his United career that brought him six goals in his first eight games.

At one stage, the forward was cruelly dubbed 'Man of Glass' by one leading Red Devils fanzine and even Saha admits at times he was ashamed by his frequent absences.

Yet, Ferguson never lost faith in the pacy front-man, insisting he never contemplated selling the player, as was suggested in some quarters.

Injury-free for almost three months now, Saha has repaid that belief, netting nine times in his last 14 appearances.

All but three of those goals have come in cup combat and he currently stands two clear in the Carling Cup scoring charts, having found the net in every round he has appeared in.

"I was always confident I would score goals if I got a decent run in the team," he said.

"The injuries have made it quite difficult for me to keep my confidence up. But I have been playing for three months now, which is good. Hopefully it will continue."

Optimistic

The United camp are still coming to terms with the shattering blow of Alan Smith's horrific injury, which not only ended the Yorkshireman's hopes of making this summer's World Cup, but weakened an already under-strength midfield.

Smith is the fourth long-term casualty at Old Trafford this term, with Paul Scholes already ruled out for the season and Quinton Fortune only just back from a knee injury.

Full-back Gabriel Heinze has also been missing since September after he rupturing cruciate ligaments against Villarreal in the opening game of United's ill-fated Champions League campaign.

Heinze is now optimistic of a return before the season reaches its climax, which could yet make him available for Argentina's World Cup campaign.

If not, Heinze will be part of a below-strength squad for a three-match pre-season trip to South Africa, by which time Saha hopes to have finally pocketed that elusive winners' medal.

"After all I have been through, winning the Carling Cup would be a bit of a release," he said.

"But I am a competitor and I am looking for a lot of things.

"It is not just about me though. Everyone is looking to win something because we have missed a chance to establish ourselves in the Champions League.

"The Carling Cup was not a priority but it is something we can win, so let's do it."

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